The Bachelor
by laughingoutloud
Summary: What happens when two former lovers get a second chance at love...on a reality tv show? NALEY
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Nathan Scott awoke with a start, as old school hip hop blared through the speakers of his alarm clock. He groaned in frustration and glanced at the clock, bleary eyed. The bright red numbers read 4:30. He rolled out of bed and slipped on his sneakers, to begin his morning jog.

Nathan Scott was a famous NBA player known for being just that, a player. He was a womanizer to the fullest extent, using his status to attain women that were never before possible. To most he seemed arrogant, obnoxious, cocky, and extremely good-looking, but what most didn't know was the story behind the scenes. Before he became starting point guard for the LA Lakers and the famous Nathan Scott, Nathan was a normal guy with talent on the basketball court. Everyone who knew him well knew the two word reason for why he changed: Haley James.

**Across the Country**

Haley awoke with a start when her alarm clock went off at 6:30. She rolled out of bed and into the shower to begin her day. Haley slipped on the outfit that she had picked out the night before and tiptoed out of the house as so not to awake her two roommates, Peyton and Brooke.

Haley lived in Tree Hill, North Carolina for her whole life, and after college she began to work at the local elementary school, doing what she did best: teaching. In high school Haley had been the go to girl to pass a test and was well known and well liked. She had natural beauty, but often she did not put as much time into her appearance as other girls. She had boyfriends, but they were mostly meaningless flings until Nathan.

It started in high school when Haley was assigned to tutor Nathan and their attraction was obvious to the start. They became inseparable. Haley did not believe in high school love until Nathan. They knew they were meant to spend the rest of their lives together. Their lives were perfect, until Chris Kellar came into town. Haley and Chris struck up a close friendship, which made Nathan incredibly jealous. He was always worried of Haley straying from him, which she swore she could never do. Then it happened.

Nathan came home from his part-time job early hoping to surprise Haley and he found her under Chris on the couch. He hurried out of the apartment as fast as he could, not aware of the true story and that was the last time he ever saw Haley. Haley never knew that Nathan had seen them and so she never knew why he left, but it tore her apart. Chris had been forcing himself onto Haley, and what Nathan took for cries of passion were in reality cries of pain. Haley still had nightmares about that fateful afternoon and often needed the help of her best friends Brooke and Peyton.

**L.A.**

After he was showered and back from his job, Nathan called up his agent and brother, Lucas Scott. "Yo Luke, what have you got for me today."

"The Bachelor run through is today. They will give you all the details on how to be the bachelor and stuff like that."

"You suck, I can't believe you signed me up for that shit." Nathan groaned. His brother, Luke was his best friend, but sometimes he took the managing job too far. Lucas thought that it would help Nathan's career if he showed some interest in settling down. The bad ass image could only take him so far.

"It won't be that bad. Besides you get to spend three months surrounded by beautiful women."

"As if that's any different from my normal life," Nathan scoffed. And Lucas rolled his eyes at that comment.

"Whatever man, just don't be late." Nathan and Lucas hung up. Nathan sat back in his chair and turned on the tv. Sometimes he did get lonely and wish he had someone to settle down with, but everytime he found a woman they were compared to his Haley. He shook his head. She wasn't his. She belonged to whoever wanted her. He knew that he could never forgive her for the betrayal and the pain that she caused him.

**Tree Hill**

Haley returned from work to be immediately greeted by Brooke and Peyton. "Tutor girl," Brooke began, "you're never going to believe what we got in the mail today…"

"Well, it's a funny story actually" Peyton cut in. Haley grimaced. Nothing good could come from those words. "A couple of months ago, Brooke and I filled out an application for you to be on the Bachelor. We thought that it would be good for you to try to settle down."

"YOU DID WHAT!" Haley shrieked. "Neither of you has settled down or even has a job for that matter."

"That's different" Brooke retorted, "Peyton and I are loving life and are not all hung up on some boy from high school. And besides, you were accepted. You're flying out to LA next Friday and shooting begins on Monday.

"You're going to thank us for this one day." Peyton replied. She gave Haley a quick hug. "Now, let's go pack." And Brooke and Peyton dragged Haley into her bedroom. Little did they know who this little adventure would bring back into their lives.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for all the great reviews!! I appreciate it a lot!**

**Los Angeles**

Haley flopped back onto the bed in her new room. She glanced around and peered at her two roommates, Shannon and Claire. Her plane had landed five hours ago and she had been ushered into a limo where she arrived at the famous Bachelor house. She checked her watch. In about 5 minutes it would be time for the girls to meet their Bachelor. They were all anxious with excitement, because rumor had it that the new Bachelor was famous.

Haley got up to look in the mirror. She was wearing a simple red dress and her hair was loose around her shoulders. She was wearing a minimal amount of makeup as to not make a big fool of herself on national television. "Comon Haley, the limos are here, " Shannon stated as she appeared in the doorway motioning for Haley to follow. Haley took a deep breath, glanced quickly at herself in the mirror and proceeded in pursuit of her new friend.

She sat anxiously in the limo, waiting her turn to be introduced to the new mystery man. After what seemed like days, she heard a tap at her window. The door was opened for her and she took the hand the hand of the man outside and stepped into the bright fresh air. She walked around the corner and approached the man, "N-N-Nathan?" she sputtered, "you're the Bachelor?"

Nathan couldn't believe his eyes. After all this time, Haley was in front of him again. He couldn't decide whether this was the worst or best luck in the entire world. Either way, Nathan knew that they would have to pretend to be strangers so as not to violate the contract they had both signed. "Hello I'm Nathan Scott, it's great to meet you," he repeated the same message he had said to the twenty other girls before her.

Haley, unaware of Nathan's reasoning, thought this to be a snub. _I can't believe he won't even acknowledge me. If only he knew the real story_ she thought to herself. She laughed sarcastically and brushed past him into the house. _Nathan has another thing coming to him if he thinks he can blow me off like that, _she thought as she walked into the house.

She breathed in and out and hurried upstairs to make a phone call to Peyton and Brooke. As soon as she reached the phone, she was greeted by a guard. He tapped the list of rules and guidelines that were next to the phone. She scanned the list and saw number 34, no revealing the bachelor. She signed and hung up the phone. Tomorrow was another day and she was going to have to deal with this problem alone.

The next morning Haley dressed and all the girls were ushered into the living room to be greeted with the day's agenda. There would be a group date in which everyone would have a chance to meet for 5 minutes alone with Nathan and it would then be followed by a rose ceremony.

Haley grimaced at the thought of being alone with Nathan for 5 whole minutes. She still had feelings for him and she always would, but because his obvious snub yesterday she knew that he did not still feel anything for her. This is going to be a long two months she thought to herself.

Nathan was lying on his bed staring up at the ceiling. He couldn't believe that Haley was here. Fate was the only explanation. Although she had hurt him badly years ago, he believed that she could apologize and maybe, just maybe they could move on. He thought back to their brief exchange yesterday. He couldn't believe how unbelievably hot she looked. Better than he ever remembered. It made him aroused just thinking about the way that red dress hugged her curves…Nathan bolted up as a knock at the door interrupted his thoughts.

It was the host, Chris Harrison, "It's almost time to get going Nate,"

"Okay okay, just gimme one second to get changed and then take me down to flirt with those hot ladies."

Chris rolled his eyes at that remark. He had heard stories about Nathan Scott and was given strict instructions by Lucas to try to encourage him to settle down and think only about one woman. Little did they all know that Nathan was just putting up a charade and was really only interested in seeing one woman in a red dress.

**All reviews, comments, and ideas appreciated. This is my first serious attempt at a ****fanfic**** and I would appreciate all constructive criticism that you have to offer. I hope the switching back and forth wasn't too confusing. Let me know about that too!!**


	3. Chapter 3

Haley chatted with the girls as they each anxiously awaited their turn with the infamous Nathan Scott. "He's sooooo hot," Cindy squealed for the thousandth time. Haley rolled her eyes. She had had enough with the gushes of the ditzy girls about Nathan's appearance. Unfortunately, she knew they were right. She had been trying to ignore the butterflies she still got whenever she saw him, but she couldn't help but stare when he came out in his tight black polo and baggy jeans. He was and would always be a sex god in her eyes.

_"Haley, I don't want to pressure you into anything. We've only been dating for eight months and I don't want you to feel like you have to do this." Nathan peered sincerely into her eyes. _

_She pressed her mouth firmly to his, and reached down to unbuckle his pants. "Nathan I want this, I want you."_

_"I love you, baby." He breathlessly moaned as her hands worked their way down deeper and further into his pants. _

_In the afterglow of the moment, Haley and Nathan lay wrapped in each other's arms when he leaned over, a serious look in his eyes. "Marry me?" _

_"What? Marry you? Are you serious?" Haley inquired. A million thoughts were running through her mind. After all they were only seniors in high school. _

_"Haley, I've loved__ you since the moment you became my tutor, and I haven't stopped. I'll never stop." Nathan twisted his head to the side and gave her a light kiss on the lips. _

_"YES, Yes __yes__. Of course I'll marry you, but I think that we should wait until we graduate from college. I mean, you have potential to achieve your dreams and I would like to figure out my life before we jump into anything." Haley replied and returned the kiss, deepening it by tilting her head back and opening her mouth allowing his tongue access. They kissed and kissed until they were both breathless and they spent the rest of the night and the following day in bed, enjoying their newfound status: Engaged. _

Haley thought back to that night with a sigh. She had been unable to resist Nathan then and she still had trouble now. Looking back, she was glad that they never had gotten married, but she also thought that Nathan may have stuck around longer, if he was legally bound to her. She felt a tap on her shoulder; she turned around and was met with those sexy blue eyes. "It's your turn, Haley," he smiled and grabbed her hand pulling her to follow him into the secluded area. He released her grasp and Haley felt a small piece of paper in her hand. She looked at him questioningly, but he just raised his eyebrows.

She grasped the paper tightly in her hand and looked up at him. "So, Nathan, tell me about yourself."

Nathan smirked slightly, "What do you want to know that you don't already?"

Haley shot back, "I guess you are the famous Nathan Scott, who doesn't know your life story, seeing as how you're the main focus of my thoughts, day and night."

Nathan smiled. This was the Haley, he knew and loved. She hadn't changed a bit. He shook his head. _Snap out of it. She cheated on you with Chris __Kellar__, of all people._ Nathan didn't know if he could bring himself to look past that, but he wanted to give it a try. "So Haley…it's Haley right? What do you do for a living?"

"I'm a schoolteacher Lucas…I mean Nathan," she perpetrated, knowing his insecurities about her relationship with his brother Lucas. And with that she got up and walked away.

The host, Chris walked over to Nathan. "What's the deal with her?"

Nathan glared at him, "Look man, don't insult her." He stalked off to find the next girl, leaving a confused Chris behind.

Haley left the party for a minute to go to the bathroom. She slipped into a stall and looked at the paper that had grown wrinkled in her hand. _Meet me at midnight, down the road about half a mile is my house. I'll send a driver._ Haley smiled, she couldn't help herself. Nathan Scott wanted to meet privately. Maybe he would finally apologize.

As Nathan sat down with the next girl, Haley's roommate Shannon, he thought about meeting Haley that night. Maybe she would finally apologize.


End file.
